WHEN will the decent women of Liverpool refuse to have the dangerous dogs of their nephews/ sons/ grandsons in their homes ?

It’s bad enough seeing these dogs out of control in our parks and off the lead on our streets. But in your own home? It’s time to say no.

Elle, L9

Work together

ONCE again a pet has been responsible for the death of a small child in its owner’s home.

It is a terrible tragedy for the family and a shock to the whole community. As a father of children around the same age my heart goes out to John Paul's parents and family.

I live near where the incident happened and residents have had concerns about aggressive dogs for a long time. We want to see more done about this.

In other cities problems with dangerous dogs have been tackled in a coordinated way by setting up multi-agency teams.

I would like to see more joined- up working on dealing with dangerous dogs between the police, Liverpool council and housing associations.

We may not need new laws but start using the existing laws better. Maybe this would avoid a similar tragedy happening again.

Tim Beaumont, Wavertree

Poor police response

SO the police say they will crack down on dangerous dogs. It might help if they responded to calls from the public.

Had they done so in this case the little boy might still be alive.

What will be done about the lack of response in this instance is what I want to know?

The grovelling apology is not enough. Failure by the policeŠ to respond is, it seems, a regular event.

I'm not talking about slow response here, which I accept can be down to operationalŠ and priority demands, but totally ignoring people who report problems is not good enough.

ŠJ. P. McCann, L14

Neuter danger dogs

I WOULD like to add to your ideas regarding dogs, in the light of recent and past events.

I would go further than you, and say that all breeders must have a licence, for which they must pay.

Everybody else must be prohibited by law from owning an unneutered dog, male or female. A neutered dog is calmer and less aggressive.

I don't believe these dogs should be bred, but I know that I have no chance of preventing that – however, I would like to see their numbers greatly reduced.

I know breeders will be up in arms at this, but I would say to them – you don't care about your dogs.

You may know where the first generation goes, but you don't know what happens to subsequent pups. They can end up in the wrong hands, or abandoned.

I believe my ideas will prevent such accidents as the recent one with the innocent little boy, and also reduce the amount of unwanted dogs being put down each day. It will also make it more difficult for degenerates to get their hands on fighting dogs.

Furthermore, I believe those people who own a dog which kills someone should be charged with manslaughter. Never mind about the four "dangerous breeds" – any dog can kill, including my own, in the wrong hands. But those people who insist on having large, difficult to control dogs have only themselves to blame when something goes wrong.

Name and address supplied

Animals not a priority

SO sad to read about another child killed by a dog.

Poor John Paul Massey, like Ellie Lawrenson, should never have been in the company of a dog that was not totally under control.

And if the animal is a banned breed, the owner should be put in prison for having something that is banned.

There are hundreds of pit bull terriers on Merseyside, many of them are in Norris Green and Croxteth. I see them all the time, but the police will not get anything out of rounding them up.

I live in Crosby, and I have rung the police many times over the last few years regarding drug dealing outside my house. They have never once come out to see me as they are: always too busy; there are not enough officers to deal with it or it’s not a priority, as was the case with the dog complaint which was ignored.

But have a look in Seaforth just over the flyover once a week, or Bridle Road or a host of other destinations, and you will see over 20 officers stopping people for different offences, seatbelts, just over the speed limit, mobile phone use etc.

As recently reported in the ECHO, the police have a target to hit with motorists but what are the targets for dangerous dogs, drug dealers etc?

Name and address supplied

Lessons to learn

THIS week a child was mauled to death by a savage dog. Yesterday lunch time I was leaving Saint John's precinct when I heard a thunderous barking and snarling.

A huge dog that could have been an Eskimo type or maybe an Akita was lunging against a thick chain held by the inevitable guy all in black: trainers, trackies and hooded anorak. It was trying to get at a blind person's labrador guide dog which was passing by.

We just don't and will never learn will we?

Les Carr, Anfield

Be responsible

OUR hearts go out to four-year-old John-Paul Massey and his family. Yet again, another child is mauled to death by a dog belonging to a family member in Merseyside. This case sounds all too familiar.

When will people realise that keeping a dog so powerful that you can't control it can lead to tragedy?

I speak as a dog lover, and indeed a dog owner, and say I would never allow an illegal pit bull in my house, let alone near children.

To the breeders, please, please stop the trade in these fighting dogs. And to anyone who looks after a child, never let a dog you don't trust into your home.

A responsible dog owner, Liverpool 8

Police share blame

WHAT a terrible tragedy the death of John Paul Massey was. I feel Merseyside Police, for all their apologies, must take some of the blame for this awful incident .

It is all too easy to dismiss a phone call as 'not a police matter', as happened in this case. How many times must this happen in a week, or even in a day, that we never hear about because the consequences are not so dreadful?

The police are spending a fortune promoting their police charter and all the promises it makes to so-called customers, but priority number one should be to always take members of the public seriously when they make a complaint.

The case of John Paul Massey demonstrates only too clearly what can happen when concerns are casually brushed aside.

Deborah Arnold, address supplied

Tragedy could have been avoided

WHILE Merseyside Police is quite rightly admitting some responsibility in the tragic death of the young boy killed by a dog, there are others closer to home who must also share some, if not the majority, of the burden.

Parents and family should be the first line of defence when it comes to protecting their children. It is up to those nearest and dearest not to put their young ones at risk.

Okay, if the police had acted on that initial call from a concerned housing officer this tragedy might never have happened but also if the family of the boy had never kept an illegal dog then it definitely wouldn’t have happened.